In Episode 257, I have the pleasure and honor of conversing with Grandmaster Jesse Kraai, Co-Founder of ChessDojo. GM Kraai has been playing and teaching chess since before you were born. Playing in seven US championships helped him elevate his game to GM in 2007. He won the Denker tournament of High School Champions in 1989 and 1990 and the Irwin tournament of Senior Champions in 2023. He is currently using the Dojo Training Program with the dream of winning the US Senior Closed in 2024.
We speak about his recent win at the 2023 Irwin tournament, the return on investment of playing in tournaments, rating deflation, chess hunger, enjoyment, The Chess House, community, online vs. over-the-board play, general tips for adult improvers, deep thinking, his fiction book Lisa: a Chess Novel, training and more.